The Princess Pauper
by Lady Stradivari
Summary: AU. The royal family has been in chaos since the escape of the crown princess, Igarashi Mariko, days before her engagement to the crown prince, Usui Takumi, is revealed to the public. To avoid suspicion from the sickly emperor, Tora deploys a search party while Misaki, the new maid who's the splitting image of his sister, disguises as the crown princess. #3
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** Kaichou wa Maid-Sama! was written by Hiro Fujiwara. This story is fictional; any scene resembling that to a person's life is completely coincidental. AU.

* * *

 **The Princess Pauper**

By Lady Stradivari

 _"A Cinderella dream come true; her majesty is a commoner in disguise."_

* * *

 **PROLOGUE**

* * *

"You're not the real crown princess, Misa-chan."

A smirk forms across his lips as Usui Takumi moved his face closer to Misaki's. He had her cornered, his body hovering over her with a hand on the wall bearing his weight. Although her flustered face and her back against the wall conveyed the immense discomfort that she was under, Ayuzawa Misaki mustered the courage to lift her head up and look at him straight in the eye, gritting her teeth in the process.

"And you're not the real son of your father, Usui."

Takumi's face shifted from that of intrigue to disbelief. Knowing that she had pushed his buttons, Misaki gradually regained her composure in front of Takumi as she removed her back from the wall.

"I had a feeling that you knew about it, and I know that one day, you'll come up to me and say that to use it to your own advantage… so that you could break off your engagement with Igarashi Mariko." Misaki sneered, pushing Takumi's arm away as she takes a step closer to him. "Were you expecting that this damsel would falter in front of you and beg for mercy, just because you're the crown prince? Stop joking with me, you perverted alien—,"

Misaki gasped as she found herself leaning against the wall once more, and Takumi's arm encasing her further in the small space Takumi had allotted her, with only a few inches to spare before their bodies would brush against each other's. For a moment, Misaki had thought that she had finally gained the upper hand in the situation by her knowledge of Takumi's birth history, and truly, Takumi was fazed by it. But her strategy didn't seem to tame Takumi, who now looks so self-assured and in control.

"Don't think that you would be able to win against me, Misa-chan." Takumi warned her as his fingers lightly played with the soft tips of her hair. Misaki quivered at the slight touch, since her hair rested on her bare shoulder. "After all, you are the one who is irrevocably tangled in this web of lies. Because of that, you should be the one at my disposal, not the other way around."

Misaki couldn't stand the depth of Takumi's stare at her that she averted her eyes unto the marble floor beneath their feet. Her entire body froze, and all that she was able to move were her head and her hands, which were grasping onto her peach chiffon dress. Breathing becomes a conscious activity, and her heart was beating tumultuously under her chest.

This is it. This signified her exit from the royal family as Igarashi Mariko, the crown princess of Japan, who is engaged to Usui Takumi, the crown prince, the man standing right before her, finding her fearful state laughable, to say the least. She should've gone with her gut and refused this job from Igarashi Tora the moment he offered it, when the job that she was applying for, at that time, was the position of a humble palace maid. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine herself to be a princess, having only accepted to play along with this pretense due to Tora's pleas and the promise of tripling the salary that she would've received as a palace maid. She needed the money, yes, but she was not utterly desperate. She had made that clear to Tora.

However, despite the consequences and the morals she had violated to do her job, Misaki viewed this façade somewhat as her escape from her reality; from her daily life, where she was drowning from the abundance of jobs she had to pursue in order to help pay off the debts left by her father as well as her younger sister's school expenses. It wasn't that she was ungrateful with the life she has, but rather, she had grown weary from it. Even if she takes pride in herself for being strong and self-reliant, having to do it for a long time had depleted her energy.

Nevertheless, it was fun while it lasted.

"So what are you going to do about it?" Misaki mumbled bitterly. "Are you going to inform your grandfather, the king? You know that he's still recovering from a heart attack. Are you still going to tell him about this?"

"No."

"I don't believe you!" Misaki cried out, her grip onto her dress tightening to the point that her knuckles have paled. "If you're not telling the King, then perhaps you're going to rat me out to Igarashi Tora. The moment he hears about this, he's going to chase me out."

The air around Takumi was somehow lightening up. His smirk has slowly morphed into a playful smile.

"No."

"You're thinking of exposing me to the press, is that it?" Misaki exclaimed, thrusting her fists onto Takumi's chest. She felt how hard it was underneath his black military attire; perhaps his heart would've been similar. "Tell me so I could mentally prepare myself for what's coming, you jerk!"

Takumi holds both of her wrists in his hands and directed them away from him, his green eyes still fixed at Misaki. His grip was gentle, Misaki commented to herself, compared to the punches she had thrown at him just now. He was staring at her endearingly, enough to make her knees weak and at the same time, horrified. He was such a puzzling specimen to begin with.

"I will not inform my grandfather or Igarashi Tora about your secret." He whispered into her ear, sending chills down Misaki's spine as his hands slide to hers. "I will not expose you to the press either. You have my word."

As he pulled his head back to look at her face that has turned entirely red, Takumi rubbed his thumb against the back of her palms, and the slight friction from his gloves somewhat eased her mind.

"Why?" She managed to spit out of her. Misaki had so many questions running in her head, and it frustrates her how she couldn't come up with the right words to express them concretely to him. He was making her feel emotions of such magnitude that have undoubtedly confused her. Why is he smiling like that at her? Why is he holding her hands like this? Why do his green eyes stir up something inside her? "Why aren't you telling anyone? Why!?"

"Because…" Takumi releases his hold onto her hands before gently cupping her face, as he plunges forward to kiss her. Misaki's eyes flew open, her mind went completely blank. The kiss had left her in a daze. After what seemed like forever, Takumi breaks away from the kiss, and he locks his eyes with hers before going on to say, "I like you, Misa-chan."

He let a chuckle out upon seeing her so dumbfounded over the kiss before leaving the room. Even when Takumi had closed the door behind him, Misaki remained speechless. Once the idea of Takumi kissing her had finally sunken in, Misaki fell onto her knees, her fingers grabbing onto her hair.

How did it even come to this, Misaki thought to herself as she yelled out the tension that had been building up inside her chest since the first time she had met Usui Takumi.

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello everyone! My-violinprince here, and this is my very first story in the Maid-Sama archive! Yoroshiku! This story will mainly involve TakuMisa, with some ToraMisa and HinaMisa (is that the right name for the Hinata x Misaki pairing? I'm not really sure, haha!) Expect some Kuuga and Sakura action too! :D Other pairings will be revealed soon. The events presented here in the prologue will occur later on in the story. Treat it as a sneak peek, perhaps. I'm planning to incorporate some humor into the story too.

A little info about this story: In this universe, Japan's government was an absolute monarchy, until such a time that they have been overthrown by a dictator that aimed to make reforms in the country. At present, the dictator is trying to reinstate the monarchy and make it into a constitutional monarchy. In real life, Japan is a constitutional monarchy. I'll explain more about the type of government Japan has in this story as well as the history.

So how's the prologue? Do you like it? Hate it? I hope you guys enjoyed it even if it's just the prologue for now. I had so much fun writing it. If you have the time, please review, favorite or follow this story! :D I want to hear your opinions on this story, and if you think that I should continue it or not. Constructive criticisms are welcome. :) Thank you so much for reading! Sorry for the long Author's Notes, I talk way too much.

Until the next chapter,  
 **My-violinprince / Lady Stradivari**


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:** Downright cursing courtesy of Igarashi Tora and Usui's fangirls. Just giving a heads up to readers who may find it offensive. Also, in the future, I reckon there'll be more of it, probably? Though that depends on the mood of the story. I usually add them to heighten the intensity of the drama involved. Since I'm returning to university, I wouldn't be able to update my stories sooner; it could take me months before I do so. But to make up for that, I've decided to increase my word count from my normal 3k to 5k/6k to make up for the delay, as well as to provide readers enough content until the next chapter is released. I made some changes: I feel more comfortable addressing Usui with his last name rather than his first name, so I did exactly that in this chapter.

I've resolved to continue this story after reading some positive reviews from readers. :) Thank you so much for reviewing, both FFN users (newroz & WhiteAngel83 [Check out Angel's stories – there's a variety to look forward to]) and guests (theycallmestacy, Guest, and Guest). Also, I'd like to thank those who followed this story and added it to their favorites. You are such awesome people! This just motivates me to write more.

 **Dedication:** To  newroz. Our conversations were very stimulating. Thank you for your never ending support. :)

 **Suggestions:** For an enhanced experience, you could listen to **Usui no Hikari Kage** from the KWMS OST in Usui's flashback. That's all. :D

 **Glossary:  
** _Chrysanthemum Throne:_ a term used to address the throne of the Japanese emperor.  
 _Oji-sama:_ Prince  
 _Oke_ : a family branch of the imperial family  
 _Tohoshinki:_ A Korean boy band that debuted in Japan around 2006. Also known as DBSK or TVXQ.

* * *

 **01  
** Of Crowns, Debts, and Lost Princesses

* * *

Igarashi Tora stared deeply into the white cup of coffee on top of his desk, watching the dark beverage rise up as steam somnolently while listening to his secretary's report for the day. Three days had passed since he was able to get a good night's worth of sleep, mainly because he found the recent events ridiculous and vexing.

Six days ago, upon discovering that the crown princess had escaped from the palace _again_ , Igarashi Tora set it aside as a light matter. After all, Mariko had the propensity to leave the palace on her own accord, regardless of her schedule for that day, to do whatever she wanted—shopping, clubbing with friends, and other occupations that would contribute to the success of her social media accounts. Every time she did so, she never bothered to notify her older brother on her spontaneous trips, and given time, Tora would have to send for his men to make sure that Mariko would arrive home safely.

However, after three days of searching to no avail, Tora's playful attitude towards the matter had dissipated, and he tasks the secret service of the imperial family to search for his sister's whereabouts throughout Japan, as well as to check the Immigration's Office to see if she had fled the country. He had the feeling that this was not like her usual adventures. Mariko may not bear any regard for the feelings of the people around her, but she pays due attention to how she is perceived by others, and she knows which strings she should be pulling to appear as the victim.

Tora wouldn't have minded her childish antics, if it weren't for their recuperating grandfather, the imperial emperor of Japan, returning from the U.S. after undergoing various treatments for his heart attack; their grandfather's desire to debut her along with the crown prince to the public in time for the restoration of the imperial family; and the announcement of her impending marriage with the crown prince. It was then that Tora knew that this wasn't something she had done in a whim, but something she had meant to do. And Tora had a good guess on her possible motive.

"…as for the princess, one of the agents from the imperial secret service noted that her majesty used her passport four days ago." Maki Kanade, his secretary, reported before placing a few sheets of paper on Tora's desk and pushing them forward for Tora to reach with ease. Tora didn't mind the document though and continued to stare at the coffee in front of him. Maki Kanade adds, "According to those documents, her majesty had taken the plane to Sao Paulo, Brazil—,"

"Bullshit."

Maki bows his head. "I apologize for upsetting you, your majesty."

Tora heaves a sigh, creasing an eyebrow at Maki's apology. "Not you, Maki! It's my devious sister." He then tightens his grip onto the armrests of his chair, his fingernails digging onto the Maplewood. He hisses. "Thank the gods she has no interest in politics, or the Imperial Family will be destroyed in her hands. How can she be so reckless!?"

His secretary lifts his head slowly, eying his majesty that has yet to look at him. "Pardon me, your majesty, but your humble servant is not sure of what his majesty is saying."

A scornful smile dawns upon Tora as he finally removes his gaze from the cup of coffee to his secretary. "I know you, Maki. You are quick to notice these things. I wouldn't have chosen you as my secretary if it weren't for your quick thinking."

"I do understand what her majesty's action may entail, but what I don't understand is…"

"Why?" Tora finishes Maki's words, and the latter nods, his point being clear to the prince. "Growing up with Mariko, I know how irrational her thinking is. She thinks that by leaving Japan, the emperor would reprimand the crown prince for not reciprocating her feelings, further shoving the idea of marriage down Takumi's throat. And although the crown prince grew up with Mariko, Takumi never bore any feelings for her. She wants to make a scene out of it so that the crown prince would have no choice but to go after her."

"But…" Maki responds quickly, but silences himself for a moment before deciding to speak out. "…Takumi oji-sama doesn't follow his imperial majesty's orders anymore. He has expressed his disinterest in the throne and found ways to thrive outside the palace. It is only the emperor who insists that he stay and take over in his place. Even the Imperial Household Council does not think that the crown prince would be capable of ruling the country in the near future."

"He will." Tora mutters his thoughts, as if he were assuring himself of the possibility. "He will inherit the Chrysanthemum throne because there's no one else to do so. If he still renounces it, then that would mean that we have given in to the Anti-Imperialist Movement." _They may have taken away our family, but they will never take away the crown. Takumi would never allow that. After all, his mother also died from the incident._

"Tell the secret service to double their men in search for the princess." Tora commanded his secretary, the urgency in his tone present. "We need to find her in time for the emperor's return. Else, the emperor may not live to see another day. Treat this with the utmost confidentiality. Nobody must find out about this, especially the crown prince."

* * *

"Ayuzawa Misaki. 21 years old. Graduated from Seika High as valedictorian, and was the president of the student council two years in a row. Currently taking up BS Occupational Therapy at the University of Miyabigaoka, under a scholarship."

Once he had finished reading out loud the potent details of her resume, the man lays the document on the table before taking a good look at the woman seated across him. She was a tone or two darker than the typical pale Japanese girl, with straight black hair layered to frame her oval face. Her amber eyes were easy to look at, and her face was quite inviting for most people.

"Have you taken any training under the food industry?" The man realigned his eyeglasses before shifting in his seat, carefully observing the way Misaki handles the interview.

Subtly clearing her throat, Misaki answers his question with amicable confidence. "I haven't, but I am willing to learn whatever is expected of me for the job."

The interviewer nods his head at Misaki, though his expression isn't giving Misaki any clues as to what he may be thinking about her.

"Your resume states that you're taking up occupational therapy. What is the program about? This is my first time hearing about it."

"Well, occupational therapy is a form of treatment wherein we use daily activities that our clients find meaningful to rehabilitate persons afflicted with physical or psychological disabilities. We help them return to their daily routines in spite of disability."

The interviewer hums in approval. "You mentioned that you are in your first year in college. You had a gap of 3 years. Any particular reason for that?"

Misaki had no problem disclosing her family's financial situation to whoever was hiring her. What bothered her whenever the question was brought up though, was that she would have to mention her father. Even the slightest attempt to mouth the word "father" felt like dirt on her tongue that she wanted to spit out. Nevertheless, Misaki remained unperturbed and carried the conversation in a professional manner.

"My father left us with this huge debt in our hands. Since high school, I've been helping my mother and my sister pay it off, but then I had to save up for my sister's college funds, and my mother has been under the weather these days, so she couldn't work her usual shift." Misaki replied seemingly with ease, all the while resisting the urge to clasp onto the fabric of her pants. "Since majority of the debts have been paid this year, I decided to resume my studies and take up a program that may be of benefit for my mother in the future."

"I see." The interviewer commented, feigning concern through the tone of his voice. "Were you involved in any relationships in the past?"

Misaki shook her head in response. "I never went out with anyone. I was busy working."

"And where did you grow up?"

"Tokyo."

The interview lasted for half an hour, and the manager who was interviewing Misaki terminated it on a positive note. This, however, was not enough to convince Misaki to think that she had the job in the bag. She keeps her head up high regardless, exiting the café with a hopeful heart. On her way back home, she pulls out her cellphone and reads the text message sent to her by a friend.

* * *

 **(1) SMS – Hanazono Sakura**

Misaki! :* Text me once you're done with your interview.  
We need your insight on this worksheet for class. :D  
~Sakura

Received 3:29 PM, 04/09/2016.

-;-

 **(1) SMS – Ayuzawa Misaki**

Just finished my interview. Will review the worksheet online once I get home. :)

Sent 5:59 PM, 04/09/2016.

-;-

 **(1) SMS – Hanazono Sakura**

Ah! Is that so? u How was it? I'm sure that Misakichi will be hired! ^u^

~Sakura

Received 6:02 PM, 04/09/2016.

-;-

 **(1) SMS – Ayuzawa Misaki**

Eto… I think it went well. :) If not, I could always look for another job, right?

Sent 6:05 PM, 04/09/2016.

-;-

 **(2) SMS – Hanazono Sakura**

Yes, yes! That's the spirit, Misakichi! *A*

Sent 6:06 PM, 04/09/2016.

But you know, with skills like yours, I'm sure at least one establishment would definitely accept you. :)  
Well, I have to return to the worksheet now.  
I'll contact you in case I need any more help. Thanks, Misaki! :D

~S

Sent 6:07 PM, 04/09/2016.

* * *

After reading the last text message sent by Sakura, Misaki had only realized that it was starting to drizzle. She decided to walk briskly on the way to the train station, but gets caught in the rain shower before she even reaches her destination. Pulling out an umbrella from her bag, Misaki opens it above her head, but due to its thin wires holding the umbrella together, and with the continuous tugging from the wind, her strawberry printed umbrella had been folded inside out, the fabric eventually tearing away from the ribs that were attached to it, that only the metal frame of the umbrella remained. Annoyed, Misaki ran in full force to the train station, nevertheless still getting drenched in the rain.

Eyes were on her from the train to the people back in her neighborhood due to her doused appearance. She didn't mind them though; she knew she stood out like a sore thumb. Having nothing in her pocket but a measly 500 yen enough for her journey back to her house, Misaki couldn't afford an umbrella that time. She had no other option but to endure the cold on her way back home.

The Ayuzawa house reflected the current financial state of the family, with its white walls graying and the paint tearing away from it, the abrasions on the wooden pillars that partially supported the second floor, the scratches and opacity of the windows, and the screeching of the wooden flooring the moment Misaki would shift her weight from one foot to the other. Opening her bag, she locates the key to her house and inserts it into the knob.

"I'm back!" Misaki cried out, addressing no one in particular, as she entered the house. Its interior was a bit more tolerable than the exterior of the house, which was subjected to the harsh elements. Nevertheless, the floors still creaked, and while she headed to the room on her left, her foot ended up on a thin spot on the floor, causing it to crack at the weight and form a hole that would swallow her above her ankle. She yelled in surprise, but becomes worried when she realized the damage she has caused. "The floor broke."

"Welcome back home, onee-san."

Misaki brings her head up and notices Suzuna's head peeping out of the sliding door. The edges of her mouth were smothered with some sort of brown sauce as she was munching onto a chicken thigh held with both hands. A few of her taupe locks that hung over her face also had a touch of sauce to them.

"Suzuna, your face!"

"Nice to see you too." Suzuna replied nonchalantly, ignoring the fact that the floor now has a newly formed hole on it with her sister's foot in it. "I joined this raffle promo at the plaza recently and I got third place. I was rewarded with 20 Gift Certificates for Eat 'Em Chicken. Each gift certificate is good for one bucket of chicken."

Although Misaki was pleased to hear about Suzuna winning the raffle draw, such an event happens frequently in the Ayuzawa household, and she has gotten accustomed to the free items that Suzuna would win for them. Of course, if it weren't for her patience in filling out those forms and placing them in the mail, they wouldn't be feasting on greasy fried chicken that night. Nonetheless, her mind was focused on getting her foot out of the hole.

"Has mom eaten yet?" Misaki asked, eyebrows furrowing as she removes her foot with caution, trying not to come in contact with any of the sharp wooden shards. She was able to do so successfully in a few seconds.

Suzuna nods her head. "Yeah. She decided to sleep afterward. She wasn't feeling well."

Misaki sighs, her eyes glancing at the hole in the flooring before shifting them to Suzuna. "We'd have to patch this hole. Suzuna, is it okay if I ask you to buy the materials for me? I'm still looking for a job."

"It's okay, onee-san." Suzuna assured Misaki as she gave a thumbs-up at her older sister before the piece of chicken that she was holding slips from her grasp and lands on the floor. After staring at the fallen piece of chicken on the floor for a while, Suzuna bends her knees to pick it up, and examines it as she goes back inside the kitchen. "What a waste of poultry."

Once Suzuna was out of sight, Misaki proceeded upstairs to check on her ailing mother, with whom she has grown increasingly worried over. Sliding the door to her right, Misaki had the image of her mother sleeping soundly in her bed with a peaceful look on her face in her head. One matter that she had prayed to the gods recently was for her mother to be able to sleep well, since she wasn't getting that much, which in turn affected her job performance and her health. However, the reality beyond the door was different.

The sight of Minako's face covered by the blanket while she lay down on the floor rattled Misaki, who rushed towards her side. Kneeling on the floor, Misaki drew the blanket away from Minako before cradling her head on her lap. The younger one was frightened as she repeatedly shook her mother's shoulders back and forth.

"Oka-san." She called out a few times before Minako could open her eyes. A wave of relief washed over Misaki as she sighed, her shoulders relaxing in the process. "Thank goodness, you're alright."

"What happened?" Minako asked, blinking. "Could it be that… I fell from the bed again?"

Nodding her head, Misaki fought the tears that had surfaced in her eyes, and pressed her lips together to prevent sobs from escaping her mouth. She wouldn't want to upset her mother further. She needed to rest, Misaki chanted to herself over and over again to keep her from bursting into tears.

Minako didn't look a tad worried over her fall as compared to her daughter, however. She remained calm, even if both of them knew that these were occurring more frequently than usual. She pulls herself to sit down with her back leaning on the edge of the bed while her daughter aided her in doing so until she was comfortable. Feebly, she smiled at the lass as she reached out a hand to stroke her cheek.

"Okaeri." Minako said, her eyes soft albeit weary. "I'm sorry to make my daughter so worried."

It was more than that. It wasn't worry that made Misaki pray at night for her mother's wellbeing. It wasn't the emotion that drove her into mild agitation upon seeing her body on the floor. And it sure wasn't the reason why her heavy heart couldn't take it that her eyes would well up in tears. Misaki knew exactly what underlies all of them, and she wanted to ignore it for as long as she can. But as she sensed the tremors from her mother's hand on her cheek, it was clear to Misaki that she could not escape such feelings that continue to build up in her.

"Have you visited a doctor yet?" Misaki asked, the urgency evident in her tone, as she wrapped both of her hands around her mother's and placed it on her lap. "If you haven't, I can come with you. We have to solve this problem before it gets worse. They can prescribe you medicine—,"

Minako gently shushes her daughter, firmly grasping her hand, all the while bearing the same loving look in her eyes.

"You must be starving. Suzuna brought some chicken with her downstairs." Minako diverted, forcing Misaki to contain all these emotions to herself. Every time her mother did that, a part of her begins to hold a grudge against her. It pained her to see her mother setting the matter aside as if it were a fly that one could shrug off his shoulders. "Once you're finished eating, you should go rest. You have to prepare for school the next day."

Misaki followed her mother's lead reluctantly. With her eyes averted from her mother and her hold on her hand loose, Misaki mutters, "We'll get rid of the bed frame and place the mattress on the floor. That way, you wouldn't hurt yourself in the future."

The smile on Minako's face had widened. "Thank you, Misaki."

It didn't feel right for Misaki to just accept things as they are though.

* * *

" _Usui-sama, daisuki!"_

" _Please look over here, Takumi-sama!"_

" _Have my babies you fucking life ruiner!"_

Twelve minutes into midnight, an hour after the concert had ended, a vast crowd spanning from female teenagers to middle-aged women were thrown into frenzy at the sight of a fair haired man wearing black aviator shades, exiting the eastern doors of Tokyo Dome. They wave their light sticks along with the other merchandise that their hands could hold all the while screaming frantically to express their excitement as he attempts to pass through the crowd on the way to his limousine by the street.

Usui recalled the first time he had to wear shades during the nighttime. It was on the night of his debut as a singer, where he sang in front of a live studio audience. His manager had informed him about paparazzi, and how they would go through such lengths just to snap a photo of him when they get the opportunity, henceforth his insistence on Usui wearing sunglasses. He found it absurd at first, but once he stepped out of the network tower, even his shades couldn't keep him from narrowing his eyes due to the amount of flashes produced from multiple cameras surrounding the area. A year had passed since his debut, and the shades have become a habit now, even when there wasn't that much flash coming from the cellphones of his fans, who would take his picture from various angles.

Four men guarded him in all four directions, their arms outstretched while moving in synchrony whenever Usui took a step forward. Their pace was slow, and eventually the guards decided to push their way through the crowd, disregarding manners and personal spaces. A few hands were lucky enough to graze the sleeves of Usui's white dress shirt, and one did get to leave scratch marks on the back of his palm. Yet amidst the hysteria, Usui didn't possess the same enthusiasm as his fans to interact with them. He was beyond exhausted—the most that he's ever been—and all he wanted was to return to his apartment and disappear from the public for a week, at least. Still, he found no shame in ignoring the passionate greetings of his fans.

The door had been opened earlier by his manager, who also struggled with the hoard of fans that stretched until the streets. In one swift motion, Usui went inside the vehicle while one of his bodyguards closed the door behind him. Once they were all set, the chauffeur proceeded to drive.

As he took off his sunglasses, revealing his deep emerald eyes, Usui glanced at his manager, whose cheeks had turned ruddy after his two minutes worth of interaction with the fans. His manager looked at him from the side of his eye before rolling his eyes back.

"How can you still look like _that_ after going through _that_?" he panted, something which Usui found quite ironic, considering his compact, athletic build. "Fangirls…"

Usui found himself smiling at Goda's comment. "So this wraps up the end of our tour. I miss my bed."

"We were supposed to have an after party to celebrate it, but you wanted to rest!" Goda groaned, his eyes rolling once more. "Just think about the girls who'll be going to that party! Don't you have any regard for me, your manager, who has gotten you through the toughest of times? I've been single for _sooooooooo_ long! At least agree to have a party!"

"Then go throw your own party. What difference does that make?" Usui remarks apathetically as he shifts himself in the position he's most comfortable with while still being able to watch the city pass by him through the window on his left in leisure.

Goda's eyes fly open as he moves away from his seat, glaring at Usui. "There's a _huge_ difference, just so you know. _You_ are Usui Takumi, the biggest thing in Japan ever since Tohoshinki debuted… and you're just one person! You're 22 years old, the top eligible bachelor according to many magazine polls coming from teens and women in both their 20s and 30s, and one of the highest paying stars this year. _You_ released a million copies of your very first album in one month, and I'm not even counting those who purchased overseas. _You_ get numerous offers from companies to represent them in ads, and if it weren't for your studies, I would've signed you up for a movie pronto. Also, as much as I hate to admit it myself, women fall for your looks, along with your voice, coolness, and how you practically excel at everything. Now, if your fans figure out that your being the crown prince is real, think about the attention you're going to get even more—did you just fall asleep while I'm explaining how different we were!? Son of a…"

Goda refrained from speaking any further by gritting his teeth together, but with his fists, punched the air around Usui before crossing his arms against his chest and pushing his back against the seat. Huffing, he mumbles about the unfair treatment he's been receiving as Usui's manager and how inhumane he was towards him. Unbeknown to him, Usui faked his act by merely closing his eyes to concentrate on draining the sounds of his manager's voice. When he was certain that Goda wasn't looking at him anymore, Usui opens his eyes and resumes to watching the scenery outside.

The car halts at the intersection the moment the yellow light had been switched to red, and Usui finds himself staring at a block familiar to him, where a new building is nearing the end of its construction. Before Usui could realize it, he had been overwhelmed with nostalgia, along with an undertow of regret.

…

" _Don't tell me, Kaichou, that you have fallen in love with me."_

 _Her face contorts in a fusion of shock and disgust, her jaw dropping beyond her limit that it defied medical science, as her cheeks inexplicably became red and warm. He had always preferred that look on her, compared to her level-headed exterior that she conveys to the entire school body, necessary for her role as the student council president. It was an image that had been imprinted in his mind deeply, constantly, that he couldn't go to sleep just thinking about it. Truly, he never understood how she could work her magic into him in such a naïve manner. In spite of his efforts in dismissing what he has come to feel for the girl, there have always been those moments when he would give in to her charms, and once he saw how agitated she was in his presence, it was enough indication for him to view the feeling as something that was shared mutually, and something that he wished to treasure with all his heart._

" _I-I'm not in love with you." She pressed out a response from her mouth, attempting to ignore his gaze, his smile, his eyes, and everything else coalescing inside of her. "You're deluding yourself, you perverted, space alien! Don't take this gift as a sign of infatuation. Idiot. It's just a graduation gift! …well, it's also an advance birthday gift. Anyway, it's a gift to show my gratitude, and that's all there is to it!"_

" _I really hope that that's all there is to it." He replied austerely, which had confused her even more. Her eyes broadened as she redirected them to him, who held the box in his hands ever so tightly, though he did it in a way that she wouldn't notice. He loved the gesture; it had brought him greater joy than he had ever known for a long time, and although he wanted to express how happy it had made him, he just couldn't bring himself to have her believe in the idea of them being together._

 _Unable to understand the sudden disappointment that emerged the moment she saw the stern look on his face, she averts her eyes once more; this time, hiding the sadness that was surfacing. "That really is all there is to it, Usui. Good luck in whatever your plans after high school are."_

 _He felt how heavy his chest had become after seeing how blue she was._

" _Thank you. I hope things work out in your favor as well."_

 _..._

His musings were cut short the moment Goda's voice sinks back into consciousness. The traffic light has switched the green light on, prompting the vehicle to move, and pulling Usui back to the present.

He hears Goda sigh in the background.

"The crown is such a heavy weight to bear." His manager concluded after narrating his complaints over Usui and his apathy to no one in particular.

Usui couldn't agree more.

* * *

Sakura couldn't keep count of the number of times Misaki had sneezed since their study session had begun, but she was certain that with her friend's current constitution, Misaki's condition will eventually worsen if she does not stop exerting so much of her energy into this group assignment. She couldn't hide the concern that was surfacing on her face as she observed how languid her eyes were, and if it weren't for the surgical mask that she was wearing, Sakura would've been able to see how flushed her cheeks had become. Even from where she was seated, Sakura could feel the warm air coming from Misaki's direction.

Their fellow classmate, Shizuko, seems to have picked up on Sakura's thoughts, as her gazes would alternate between Misaki and Sakura, with whom her eyes would linger a bit longer than usual. This has been occurring for a while now, until Misaki gave a loud sneeze that reverberated throughout the library, and with one look from each other, both Sakura and Shizuko knew that they would have to push their study break a little earlier than anticipated.

"It's break time." Shizuko declared as she set aside the documents in front of her along with the books that were stacked in front of their sneezing friend.

Misaki looks up to Shizuko on her left. "Now? That was pretty fast."

"It _was_ fast." Shizuko deadpanned. "It has only been 20 minutes since we started our group study session."

"Ne, Misaki…" Sakura called her friend with a hint of hesitation in her tone. Misaki goes on to face her friend with the roseate locks bound in pigtails. "You could go and rest first. Shizuko and I could take it from here."

"But Sakura, I—,"

"It's absolutely fine, Misaki." Sakura beamed a smile at her, reassuring. "For now, you need to rest. You could even go to the clinic and sleep there."

"I'm fine, Sakura." Misaki replied almost convincingly, if it weren't for her voice croaking in the middle of her sentence. "It's just a little cold. Besides, I need to attend this job interview later this afternoon, and I need to be awake in time for it, so I won't be taking any medication for now."

"Oh yeah! About that," Sakura informs her friend a bit too excitedly, "I talked to my cousin, Erika, last night, and she told me that the oke household where she's working at currently has an opening! They said that they're even accepting part time! You can work as a palace maid!"

Misaki's eyes widen in astonishment. "Eh? Sakura—,"

"I even signed you up for it already!" Sakura exclaimed, forgetting the fact that they were holding a study session inside the library, as she flung her arms back and forth in the air. "And the best thing about it is that the salary's negotiable!"

"Sakura, be quiet!" Shizuko raised her voice at Sakura in an attempt to silence her. The pigtailed lass lowers her head sheepishly in response. "There are other people studying here, and you're disturbing them!"

"I'm sorry, Shizuko." Sakura pouted as she dared not to look at Shizuko at that very moment. "I just wanted to help Misaki in any way that I can, as her friend. We're also depending on Misaki, so it's okay if Misaki would look to us for help too. That's why, Misaki…" she lifts her head so that she could look at her amber orbs. "You don't have to go through it all by yourself. We're here for you. Let me help you. Let Shizuko help you. Don't carry such a burden alone."

Although Misaki was aware of how high her temperature must have been at that time, it felt as if it had risen once again upon hearing Sakura's words that warmed her heart in the midst of the chaos that had unraveled itself into her life.

Misaki finds herself smiling at Sakura, though the latter couldn't see it due to her surgical mask. Nonetheless, she wanted to convey how much she appreciated Sakura's gesture one way or another.

"Thank you, Sakura." Misaki said, her voice carrying a tincture of gratitude in it.

Sakura nods her head in response. "No problem. We'll always be there for you, Misaki."

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

 **End Notes:** So that wraps up the first chapter! I hope you guys liked it. Please review! I'd love to hear your insights and comments (as well as constructive criticisms, maybe even violent reactions, but yeah—voice out!) It's just a click away! :) Hope you enjoyed this chapter! R&R. F&F. ^_^

 **Preview:** (You can skip it if you're not fond of spoilers and all that. :))

" _Save it. I have no plans to attend dinner."_

" _How gracious of your majesty to inform me of his absence in advance, as compared to your first engagement meeting with my sister. What a shame, you weren't able to come."_

…

" _I'm really sorry for that."_

" _If you are sorry, then don't make up for it by paying for damages. I have another proposal for you, besides being a maid here. In fact, if you perform this job exceptionally well, I will pay you triple the amount of the maid's salary in the palace. Have I sparked your interest, Ayuzawa Misaki?"_

Cheers,  
Lady Stradivari


	3. Chapter 2

**Replies for Anonymous Users:**

lillyannp: Your second assumption is correct. As for the first one, we see how Tora is manipulating Usui in his own way. His reasons for that will be revealed in the succeeding chapters. Thank you! I'm happy that you're enjoying this story. :)

Guest: Thank you, dear. I hope you'll like this chapter too. :)

(I usually reply to registered users via PM. Forgive me if I have not replied, as it has been a while since I had access to FFN's PM system.)

 **Author's Notes:** If you notice any inconsistencies in my writing nowadays, well… I have been documenting sample cases, which aim to practice us in terse writing, and I think it has affected the way I write. Once again, thank you for sending your love to this story. To those who faved and followed – you know who you are – thank you. To clarify, this is a royalty fic held in a modern setting. Lastly, this is still My-violinprince—I just changed my pen name just because.

 **Glossary:  
** _Oke:_ A family branch of the imperial family. _  
Igarashi-no-miya:_ House Igarashi.

* * *

 **02  
** Back to Where It All Began

* * *

Usui Takumi took his time to reorient himself with the concrete jungle that he now called his home.

The memory of his very first day living outside the palace walls had been embedded deep within him that it was impossible to forget everything that had transpired. It was a glorious moment for him—freedom was at his hands, and as long as school was in session, he was known merely as Usui Takumi, not the heir apparent to the throne. Admittedly, Usui romanticized the smell of smoke that emanated from the exhaust pipes of cars as well as the number of people holding their lit cigarettes between their fingers; the overwhelming lights of the LED screen that showcased every color in the spectrum ever visible to the human eye; and the unrestrained playing of EDM coming from a venue where a dance party is about to be held. But to Usui, this is what freedom felt like: the world beyond his control, sporadically changing before him, leaving him little clues as to how to get around.

Being granted the opportunity by his grandfather to immerse himself with the common folk by enrolling him in a high school that wasn't well known to the elite had brought him so much joy and fueled his curiosity over the city. Back then, the Imperial Family was bound to a secluded island near Hokkaido, as the current government's mode of protecting them from the public eye as well as the Anti-Imperialist Movement.

He proceeds to walking in the midst of the crowd, who fail to recognize him as the star that he is, due to the surgical mask on his face, the black cap that covered his fair locks, along with a worn out black shirt and a pair of ripped, faded blue jeans handed to him by his manager to complete his plain appearance, making it easier for him to blend in the crowd without drawing any attention. To top it all off, Usui wore a pair of glasses as an attempt to hide away his green eyes.

Despite his cover up, Usui still felt the eyes of everyone he passes by, along with a trail of fan girls who were lurking just around the corner. If it was not his attire, then it would have probably been his height that gave him away: what is he to do about it when he is six foot tall, while the public was around 5 feet 5 inches or shorter? But then again, even when he had been a transfer student during his high school years and nobody knew who he actually was or where he came from, the majority of his female classmates were still entranced by his beauty and grace without any effort on his part.

Without any regard as to where he was heading, Usui had allowed his feet to lead him to wherever, catching a glimpse of the unique lives that each person whom he had passed by was experiencing: a group of boys in middle school exiting the arcade in high spirits, an old couple fretting over whether they had purchased enough cat food for their Siamese cat back home, a female patting her best friend on the shoulder as they walked, hoping the gesture would help stop the tears that were flowing down the latter's pale cheeks, among the others. Truly, they were nothing but mundane events that people go through in life; however, these thoughts have made Usui contemplate about the path that he desires to pursue in the future, evoking a sense of fear within him.

After all, he was living on borrowed time.

 _Still, no matter what grandfather says or believes in, it isn't my crown to bear._

Halfway through his brooding, Usui realized that he had strayed far from the city, having ended up at the park situated close by. Beside the park was a river, and meters away from where he was standing, there was a station where the water bus would dock to allow passengers in and out of the vehicle. The park was once filled with shrubs and bushes, but now, nothing but grass occupies the areas where they once grew upon. The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom and abundant in every tree he had walked by, despite how he never really appreciated them before. If he were to check the benches that are facing the river, Usui was bound to see a gray cat sleeping soundly on a bench, moving his white paws in the air as he adjusts himself against the cold wood.

He never imagined ever returning to this place, but he reckoned that if he ever did, he wasn't going to find himself overcome with this much sadness.

As he turned his back at the riverbed—knowing that it was for the best that he leave and bury whatever his attachments to that place were—Usui quietly takes it upon himself to never return there, as it only brought him memories of a love beyond his reach, like now.

However, when he heard the sound of the horn of the water bus behind him, signaling its arrival at its stop, he knew he had to turn around.

 _One last time_. He said to himself before walking up to the bus stop and boarding upon the vehicle.

* * *

It has been a year since the Crown Prince decided to walk out of the palace gates and live as an ordinary citizen of this country.

For the entirety of his life, Usui had been groomed to become the future ruler of his people. Being born to the imperial family, he had always carried with him the absolute truth that his life was not completely his, and that with every decision he makes, he must take into consideration the welfare of his countrymen. As the Crown Prince of his country, Usui was more than willing to fulfill his obligations, abiding with the norms and principles that his role entailed, even if he had to give up his personal desires as part of his duty to uphold tradition and to maintain the imperial family's reputable image. For others, it may seem too much to bear, but for Usui, he understood the weight of his crown, and he was prepared to wear it, believing that it was something that had been set the moment he was born.

Because of this belief of his, he had learned to disregard any thought of living an ordinary life, or seizing any opportunity that would allow him to live like the average Japanese man out there. After all, Usui was anything but average. But with everything as it is right now, he had granted himself the life that he had always ignored, and it could be, perhaps, the reason why he was having thoughts of _her_ lately.

If he had seen this coming, would he have told her of his true feelings and ask her to wait for him?

His pondering was put to a halt when he felt his phone vibrate against his chest. Pulling it from his breast pocket, Usui glanced at the screen, and upon seeing the name of the person calling him, slides his thumb to the left to terminate the phone call. Once he had returned his phone to its original place, he adjusts himself in his seat, facing the glass window on his left to watch the serene body of water before him. Aside from the areas where the water bus had threaded upon, the river was still and calm, giving him that sense of peace that he had been longing for since the beginning of his hiatus as a singer.

Usui didn't know how much time had passed since he rejected that phone call, but he notices that his phone was ringing again. Expecting that it was the same person who called a while back, Usui pulls out his phone to answer it. One less problem to deal with, he figured, as he moves the phone to his ear.

"Yes?" He spoke over the phone, exuding neutrality in the tone of his voice.

" _Good evening, your majesty. It has been a while since we last spoke to each other."_

Usui wanted to scoff at the man's attempt to greet him in the most pleasant manner he could, when he could sense traces of anger seeping through his words. After all, the man had every right to be furious at him—he had chosen his sister as his bride, as part of his duty as the crown prince, but takes it back at the last moment due to personal reasons without even justifying himself to the Oke family that he had disgraced. Despite the history that the two families shared together, Usui did not want to associate himself with the Igarashi family anymore, ever since that event.

"Who's this?" Usui asked, feigning ignorance over the man with whom he had grown up with.

" _Igarashi-no-miya, Prince Tora. Brother of Crown Princess Mariko."_

"What is it, Tora?" Usui asked once again, his tone rather welcoming in contrast to the shame that was spreading inside him. "What made you call me at this hour? Surely, it must be important."

" _Your majesty, I would like to inform you in advance that my sister will not be able to attend dinner this coming Friday night, as much as she wishes to see the convalescent Emperor. She is currently ill. It is not my intention to break the Emperor's heart, but I shall attend in her place, if it would lift up his majesty's spirits."_

Usui had to refrain himself from laughing at the thought. Funny how Mariko didn't want to meet him either.

"Save it. I have no plans to attend dinner." Usui replied sharply, refusing to give in to whatever game Tora is trying to pull at him. The man, if the emperor had not taken him in to the palace to raise him as his own grandson, would have grown into a crafty swindler who would bear no regard of his family name and the imperial family's reputation being on the line, merely because he was so good at it that every person he has set his eyes on were certainly doomed. Only the emperor, his sister, and Usui knew of his manipulative nature, which is why the Crown Prince found his efforts to be futile, since he knows how to counter it. After all, they grew up together.

" _How gracious of your majesty to inform me of his absence in advance, as compared to my sister's first engagement meeting."_

The Crown Prince tensed up at the thought. Usui knew that his absence cannot be accounted for, no matter what reason he may have back then—or rather, he wouldn't dare disclose his reasons for skipping the engagement meeting. Last year was a blur for the Crown Prince, but the events that had transpired ultimately cumulated to his exit from the palace. He remembered how the Emperor severely reprimanded him for his misconduct, and how Mariko had cried when she heard that he had left the palace without any form of explanation.

"I admire your sister for her vivacity among all of her other delightful traits, but my decision still stands. I cannot marry Mariko." Usui informed Tora, his reply almost like he was giving an apology to the latter.

" _You see, this is why we attend dinner parties… so that we could talk over such matters personally. A mere phone call will not suffice. If your majesty would be kind enough to have any regard for my sister and her feelings, I ask you to attend this Friday's dinner party. His majesty, the emperor, will be pleased to see you."_

Usui smirks at the idea. He hasn't seen his childhood friend in a long time. "Very well. But I will not discuss such matters in front of his majesty. As what you've said, he is still recuperating from his illness."

" _Understood. That is all for now, your majesty. Goodbye."_

Once their attempt at a friendly exchange ended, Usui brings his phone back inside his breast pocket and redirects his attention to the river on his left, focusing on how peaceful it looked; if he stared at it longer, perhaps he could forget about the guilt that had been building up inside of him since Tora had called.

After ten minutes, Usui got off at the next station. He walks along the riverbed for a minute or two before reaching the closest staircase that led him to the main road, where he had to walk up the incline. Along the way, he had counted the number of houses that he passed by—something that he once did to make sure that he was on the right track—and upon passing by the ninth house, he halts his steps, standing before a rundown house.

Usui smiled to himself. Aside from the color of its walls fading and the rust further accumulating on the roof after three years, the house remained the way as it is the last time he had visited.

He approaches the pillar of the gates, laying his hand on the name plate, his fingers grazing the erected symbols before looking up to the window, wondering if she was there, what she was doing, what she was wearing at that very moment.

"Pathetic," he mutters under his breath, "…how you still manage to cross my mind after all these years, Ayuzawa."

Usui lingered a little bit longer around the Ayuzawa residence before he decided to walk down the incline and catch the bus on his way back home.

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

 **End Notes:** I admit that this chapter's _really_ short as compared to my usual word count of 3000 words. It has been a while since I updated, and I didn't want to keep you guys waiting, so I updated this as soon as I finished one scene. Anyway, I wanted to ask you guys if you'd prefer that I update this story more frequently with shorter chapters (1k to 2k words), or months at a time with longer chapters (5k words)? Tell me which would you prefer; I'll follow the majority's decision. Also, I want to hear your opinions on why Usui thinks that the crown isn't his to bear—why does Usui think that way? And what do you guys think about the Anti-Imperialist Movement? Do you think that there's more to them than just a group that opposes the restoration of the Imperial Family into power? Do tell me; I love hearing from you guys. :D Reviews are highly appreciated. Thank you for reading!

Cheers,  
Lady Stradivari


	4. Chapter 3

**Replies for Anonymous Reviewers:**

Minniemiss123: Thank you so much for your support. I have been very busy with university lately, and it was only now that I had the time to update. I see your point as to why you would prefer shorter yet more frequent chapters, and I've given thought to it. This chapter may not make so much sense for others, but I will enlighten you guys in time, though I would still include some tidbits and clues as to how it actually is. ^_^

MistyEyes: Updated! ^_^ Thank you so much! I'm glad that you love this story. I will try to update as much as I can.

Guest: Hello! In this story, Misaki does not have amnesia. If you have any more questions in the future, feel free to ask. ^_^

 **Author's Notes:** In the previous chapter, I asked you guys if you would prefer my updates to be longer yet a few months at a time or shorter and more frequent (a week or two per chapter). I weighed it in, and I also considered the points of Vijju123 and Minniemiss123. It helped put things into perspective, I must say, which is why I will be updating more frequently at the expense of shorter chapters. Anyway, thank you for the love you guys are sending this story. Every review, favorite, and follow fuels me into writing.

 **Disclaimer:** The Tokyo Imperial Palace mentioned in this story is inaccurate in comparison to that in real life.

* * *

 **03  
** Charmed

* * *

It is a truth universally acknowledged that medication, regardless of what it is for or what it is made out of, is expensive. Which is why for Ayuzawa Misaki, relieving her colds is secondary to saving up money to pay for other expenses… such as her mother's medication for the relief of her own symptoms.

She would rather keep her concerns to herself. After all, her friends have already helped her so much that there have been times when she would feel ashamed for ever troubling them. After all, medications for the symptomatic relief of the common cold were not _that_ expensive, and for her to worry over something trivial as this, Misaki would give others the impression that she couldn't even help herself. She wouldn't want that; if she would only become a charity case upon her enrollment in university, Misaki would've been better off taking another leave of absence from her studies. She wouldn't want that either; she already had a three year gap, having to work herself day and night just to pay off the debts that her father left before he disappeared into thin air, or so she wished. It was better off that way. The things Misaki would do to him the moment he showed his face to her after all these years.

Fortunately, Minako was able to avail some medicine for Misaki's colds from the hospital she was working at, enough to last her for one day, so long as her symptoms do not surface in the middle of her interview with the head maid that night at the Oke household that she was applying for.

Once she had wrapped up her lab class in Anatomy 1 that day, Misaki went straight home to prepare for the interview. She took a shower and donned a loose white blouse and black denim pants—the head maid will not be pleased to know that she attended the interview right after spending three hours in the cadaver lab. Once she had wrapped her hair around a nicely kempt bun, Misaki took it upon herself to practice her interpersonal skills in front of the mirror. It must be the way she presented herself, or the way she motioned her arms that didn't appeal to her employers in the past, and Misaki had to see it for herself: does she appear too ambitious, or was she leaning more on the desperate side? She had to figure it out herself—surely, there must be a reason why she was having difficulties finding a part time job recently. As much as possible, Misaki wanted to secure the job no matter what; she didn't want to see her mother's symptoms get worse.

Misaki had a vague idea as to what her mother's illness may be. Every time she asked, Minako would simply deny the existence of the tremors in her fingers, or how her body seems to lean more to the right. She didn't bother to look it up, for she was afraid that her intuition would be correct, and that it was something more than any medicine could address. Having understood Minako's intentions as to her refusal to disclose her illness to her, Misaki could only pretend to agree with her mother, never betraying any sign of anguish that she would feel whenever she would keep mum about the situation, and allow Minako to carry on with her life as if nothing was bothering her. But in the end, the one who would have to bear it all was Minako herself, and for Misaki, it was unfair to see her mother, who had gone through so much hardship since her father's departure, to continue living like that. She didn't deserve it.

 _We don't deserve this._

While practicing her lines for her interview, Misaki wipes the tear on her cheek with her sleeve, as she continues to deliver herself in front of the mirror.

* * *

It wasn't the best idea that he had ever come up with in his life, but Tora finds himself at leisure as he studied for his upcoming quiz the next day with a bottle of whiskey on the side. Perhaps it was the liquor that made his studying all the more interesting, as he had always despised Law & Economics, but for the first time in a while, Tora was in high spirits.

With every page he finished, Tora would consume a glassful of whiskey before moving on to the next page. He didn't question the amount of information that he was able to retain, but his mind was clear and his cognition sharp that he didn't have to read a paragraph more than once to fully understand it. Albeit strange, this has proven itself to be a boon for Tora, since his academic performance was declining as a result of his incessant worrying over his sister's disappearing act.

He takes advantage of his current situation, relishing every second of relaxation while he still can. After all, the alcohol wasn't going to last long in his system, and once tomorrow arrives, he will have to resume his duties and attend school in a sober state, in which his thoughts would, once again, swallow him alive. At least, he had managed to drive the Crown Prince out of the picture, and that _is_ something worth getting happy for. Maybe he could come up with a plausible reason behind Mariko's disappearance to the Emperor, although in the end, all that he could ever get from it was time, and at this rate, they wouldn't be able to recover her yet.

The doors burst open as a frantic Maki entered the study room.

"Prince Tora, we have an emergency!" exclaimed his secretary, whose fingers were tightly clenched against the clipboard propped against his body. "We were just informed that the twins are arriving in ten minutes."

Despite the urgency in Maki's voice, it wasn't enough to capture Tora's full attention. With his eyes still glued to the book before him, Tora carries his glass of whiskey to his lips. "Calm down, Maki. The twins are the least of our worries. They spend every waking moment arguing with each other that they wouldn't notice that Mariko's missing." He told him as a matter-of-factly as he finished what was left in his glass. Having emptied it, Tora lays the glass down on top of his desk. "Perform the usual arrangements for the twins' arrival. Coordinate with housekeeping."

"That's not just it, sir." Maki pointed out sternly, drawing Tora's attention to the matter, as his secretary looked at him directly in the eye. "Princess Chiyo is accompanying them, and will be joining us for dinner at the palace."

An inaudible gasp escapes Tora's lips as the lad remained frozen in his seat. The study room was silent for a few minutes, with Maki eagerly waiting for the response of the astonished Prince Tora who, still at a loss for words, is currently contemplating about leaving the palace and staying in a hotel room for the night.

"Does she know that I'm here?" Tora asked in petulance before pouring himself another glass of whiskey.

Maki slowly nodded his head in reply. "She called an hour in advance and asked the maids if you were around."

Normally, Tora would react violently to such an event, considering that he had already informed everybody inside the household to never divulge his whereabouts to Chiyo, but instead, Tora heaved a sigh out of disappointment. If it weren't for the whiskey, he might have had gone on a rampage at that very moment. Regardless, Tora had hoped that this would have lasted him through the night so that he may get a good night's rest, something which he had been deprived of for more than a week, rather than resorting to sleeping pills just so that he could bring himself to do so.

Once he had downed the contents of his glass, Tora pushed his swivel chair back and stood up as he headed for the doors.

"When Chiyo and the twins arrive, tell them that I won't be coming home tonight." Tora said upon walking past Maki on his way out.

* * *

Having followed Erika's instructions regarding their meeting place, Misaki stands outside the Eastern Gate, waiting for over half an hour. Every now and then, she would glance at her cellphone screen to check for any new messages from Erika, with whom she hasn't talked to since this morning. As the night sets in, the temperature dropped three to four degrees than the usual, as she felt chills run down to her hands. All she could ever hope for, at that time, was an auspicious interview and for the weather to remain as it is—no hail, no thunderstorms, no rain. While waiting, Misaki had been pacing back and forth with her notes in hand, using the time to review for her quiz for Human Behavior.

Erika arrived a few more minutes later, flushed and out of breath upon reaching the gates. Her red hair was kept in a pony tail, with some of her fringes resting on her forehead and on both sides of her head, along with her white headdress. Similar to the maid costumes Misaki was familiar with, Erika was wearing a black dress with short sleeves, a white collar and apron that covered the length of her dress, which reached above her knees. The apron's straps were frilled with lace on both sides, and the bands were nicely tied into a ribbon at her back. Her black heels clunked with every step that she took, and her legs were enveloped in stockings that matched her skin color.

Upon informing the Imperial Guards of her visitor, Misaki was able to enter inside the palace grounds without being questioned further. Once the guards have closed the smaller gate, Erika turns to Misaki to apologize for her tardiness.

"Please forgive me, Ayuzawa-san." Erika bows her head with her back bent forward while her hands are clasped with each other. "We were running low on staff, and we had to prepare for the return of the Emperor's twin sisters. Prince Tora's fiancée will be accompanying them, so he wanted it to be extra special." She shared with Misaki, who hummed in agreement, even though she wasn't familiar with the imperial family members. Pleased with the younger, Erika lifted the corners of her mouth. "Anyway, you'll meet them once you start working here. As for your interview, it will be pushed an hour later. I hope you don't mind staying inside the maids' kitchen until 8 to 8:30PM."

Determined to secure this job, Misaki shook her head in reply, her competitive side surfacing. "I don't mind, Erika-san. I'm willing to wait."

"I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience." Erika lowers her head once more before showing her sheepish face to Misaki. "The situation came as a surprise to us as well. Please bear with us."

* * *

She may have not purchased a new umbrella for herself, but Misaki was relieved over the fact that she had brought her notes to the palace. Although she wasn't anticipating that her interview would be delayed, Misaki wanted to use as much of her time for studying, as she wanted to begin writing her report on Clinical Psychiatry upon her return back home.

Aside from Misaki, no one else was occupying the kitchen, which was reserved exclusively for the maids of the palace. Erika had informed Misaki that there existed another kitchen where the Imperial Family hires a chef to cook for them, something which Misaki finds astounding. Leaving Misaki to herself, Erika had a bento box ready for Misaki on the kitchen table, thinking that the former would starve while waiting for their interview.

An hour had passed since Misaki had consumed the bento box and studied, yet Erika was still on duty. In the middle of her studying, her phone rings inside her bag. Immediately, Misaki pulls out her phone and answers the call.

"Hello?"

" _Misaki, it's Shizuko."_ The girl on the other line responded, albeit delayed and filled with frequent pauses from poor service.

"Hm. What is it, Shizuko?" Misaki increased the volume of her voice for Shizuko to hear. However, she was also having trouble hearing Shizuko, prompting her to look for a place with good reception. Her eyes come across the door on her left, which leads to the garden outside, and upon seeing the abundant greens that stretched out as far as her eyes could see from the door's glass window, Misaki decided to step outside for a moment for some fresh air, together with her notes.

Walking along the terrace of the palace grounds, Misaki looked for a spot with good reception. Once she was able to hear Shizuko clearly, with both parties understanding each other from their respective lines, Misaki continued their conversation.

" _We wanted to ask your opinion about the use of Tai Chi for our group protocol. Considering that the case given to us is Bulimia Nervosa, Sakura and I assume that she could resort to it to relax and relieve herself of her symptoms. What do you think?"_

Misaki wrinkled her forehead in thought. "I think it's a good activity, but will she utilize it during her spare time? Thinking about it, she is employed in the fashion industry, where she is surrounded by stick thin women, and her behavior may surface then and there. It's not practical to have her perform Tai Chi at work. Have we included the use of relaxation techniques as a preparatory activity?"

" _Not yet. What specific relaxation technique do you have in mind?"_

"I'm thinking of exclusive meditation or deep breathing exercises. If not, we could look for studies online that support the use of relaxation techniques for persons with Bulimia Nervosa." Misaki suggested as she lifted her gaze from the pavement to the scenery around her, which brought a sense of awe on her face. Unknowingly, she had voiced out her admiration over the gardens, loud enough for Shizuko to hear.

" _What is it, Misaki?"_

Upon Shizuko's response, Misaki redirected her attention to her phone call with Shizuko. "It's nothing, Shizuko. Is there anything else you wanted to ask?"

" _No, thank you."_ Shizuko replied. _"I'll send you a copy of the group protocol that the group has come up with so far. Please add information for the outcome criteria, the procedures for the other three activities we have planned, and the expected developmental tasks."_

"Alright. Thank you, Shizuko."

After ending her phone call with Shizuko, Misaki hides her phone inside the pocket of her pants without ever removing her eyes from the scenery before her. Moved by the aesthetics of the garden around her, Misaki approached the pond situated at the center, treading on the stones which served as a pathway. Amidst the pond were more stones which were perhaps strategically placed to bring in good fortune, and at the very heart of it lies a small fountain that had been switched off. Beyond the pool of water was a small bridge that connected the two pieces of land separated, along with trees that varied in shapes and sizes, positioned all throughout the garden. Another trait that Misaki had observed was the symmetry of the plants; both sides bore the same number of a specific plant, and were placed in their respective locations so as to give a sense of balance to the beholder.

 _What would it be like to wake up to a view like this every morning?_

Crouching forward, Misaki reached out her fingers to touch the body of water, creating ripples with the motion of her hand, which brought her joy that she never truly understood where it came from, yet for the first time in a long while, she felt safe, allowing her to lower her guard and appreciate the beauty of her surroundings that she would often ignore due to her demands in life. Too lowered, perhaps, that when the wind had blown towards her direction, it had brought with it the notes that she was loosely gripping onto. Realizing that her notes were no longer in her hands, Misaki watched intently as her notes traveled across the pond, dangerously sweeping the surface before landing two meters away from the fountain. With her notes slowly being swallowed, Misaki hoped to salvage whatever was left of it.

She takes a good look around her, and once she was certain that nobody could see her, Misaki doffed her shoes and folded her pants to her knees, Misaki paced through the pond to retrieve her notes. Returning to where she was standing, she noticed that the first page was dry while the rest was wet, with its ink staining all over the pages. Nevertheless, the first page was still intact, and Misaki reckoned that she'll be able to read it on her way back home.

However, she couldn't shrug off the feeling that she was still being watched, so she takes another look around the palace, and to her horror, her intuition had been correct.

Her eyes widened at the sight of a man standing by the balcony of his room. The man, unlike Misaki, possessed such strong, piercing eyes that held its gaze on her for a long time, bringing tremendous discomfort to the raven haired girl, who has yet to don her shoes. His face did not convey any form of surprise from her deed just now, or even if he did, he was doing a good job concealing it. Nevertheless, she had never encountered a man who stared at her with such intensity, but oddly enough, she finds herself to be staring back at him out of curiosity.

His svelte figure is covered with nothing else but a bathrobe, seeming to have emerged from the shower, as his fair locks were unruly, with some landing atop his forehead. The man, whose hands rested on the wooden rail, was leaning forward when her eyes met his. From the light inside his room, Misaki noticed that the man bore a slightly darker complexion, a trait which she shares as well.

 _Who is this man?_

A few moments later, the idea of her interview that evening dawned upon her. Without a word, Misaki took her shoes from the ground and ran back to the maids' kitchen. Upon sitting down, Misaki placed her notes on the table, separating each page before wearing her shoes. Erika had arrived the second she had finished unfolding her pants.

"Ready for your interview?" Erika smiled, unaware of what happened to Misaki for the past hour. Misaki nodded as she stood up from her seat, expecting to follow Erika on their way to the person with whom she will be interviewed with. However, a tall lady wearing the same uniform as Erika entered the room. With her dark green hair tied in a ponytail, the head maid approached the kitchen table with a stoic look on her face.

"My name is Subaru and I am the acting head maid of this palace." She sat down, pulling out a folder from behind and laying it on the table, where Misaki's notes were lying on. Alarmed, Misaki immediately stored away her notes by placing them on top of her lap. When the table has already been cleared, Subaru proceeded with the interview.

* * *

Once the interview had been adjourned, Subaru bowed at Misaki, who was somewhat unsure of what the future lies beyond her, but as the professional that she is, she refused to show her frustration to her employer. Misaki bows in return.

Unable to get anything out of the head maid, Misaki clutched onto her notes, hoping to get a positive response in spite of everything.

"We thank you for your—,"

"Ayuzawa-san!"

Both ladies turned their heads to the arch, where Erika was leaning onto the wall, panting heavily once again after running from one room to another. "Prince Tora," she spoke in between breaths, "Prince Tora, he wants to see you, Ayuzawa-san."

Misaki's face gloomed. Prince Tora; is this the man whom she had seen standing by the balcony?

Subaru looked at Misaki incredulously, attempting to derive a reason from their Prince's command to summon her. "What is this? What does he want from Misaki-san?"

Erika, having caught her breath, straightened her back as she walked to her superior, bewildered as to what Tora would want from Misaki. "I don't know either, Subaru, but Prince Tora wants her in his study as soon as possible."

Misaki's eyes widen once more. Undoubtedly, he would chide her for recklessly running through the pond, corrupting it with her bare feet, but she wouldn't dare tell the two maids about it. She wanted to secure this job for herself more than ever, and she had to make a good impression for the two. However, her chances may be slim after the prince had caught her in the act, even requesting her presence at his study.

 _Stupid!_

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

 **End Notes:** Special thanks to Lina. Next chapter will be filled with ToraMisa moments, so if you're a fan of that, a feast is heading your way. As for the flow, I know, it's taking a while for Misaki and Takumi to meet, but I'm trying to build it up from here as realistic and plausible as I can, so please bear with me. I'll try to update as soon as I can; worse comes to worst, I'll update by December. GAH I KNOW IT SUCKS but I'm writing a lot of case reports and documentation. But since every chapter here will be around 2k words from now on, perhaps it won't have to be that way. Again: worst case scenario.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter regardless. I was a bit sad that no one shared their theories as to why Takumi left the palace, or about the Anti-Imperialist Movement. I reckon it's because things are still blurry right now, but maybe you guys could find out in the future, with the small clues that I leave behind. XD Meanwhile, can someone guess the illness that Misaki's mom has? The first one who gets it right will have the next chapter dedicated to her/him. Try it! Who knows, you could be right.

Feedback is highly appreciated, as always. I absolutely love hearing from you guys. Faves and follows are precious to me too.

Cheers,  
Lady Stradivari


	5. Chapter 4

_To be beta-edited._

 **Author's Notes:** I wasn't exactly satisfied with how the last two chapters have turned out to be, considering that both were done under time pressure, so changes will be made. But for now, my top priority is finishing this story before any revisions could be done. So, worst case scenario did happen. I had to keep myself afloat, guys. I pray that you understand my situation (premed student, senior year, you get the picture). Anyway, I'm pretty content with this chapter, so I hope you're as fond of it as I am. Thank you for your support to this story; your favorites and follows keep the fire ablaze.

 **Dedication:** To amyjane1200, who correctly answered what Minako's illness was - Young Onset Parkinson's Disease. Congratulations! This chapter is dedicated to you.

* * *

 **04**  
The Tiger in His Den

* * *

Of all the times that Igarashi Tora had ever engaged in alcohol, there was only one event wherein he could honestly say that he was wasted, a state which seemed to be more of a feat, considering his high level of alcohol tolerance.

When he and his friends traveled to the beach during the summer of his first year in university, they had taken with them boxes filled with beer and distilled liquor. And as if the beverages they've provided for themselves weren't enough, the group headed downtown, hopping from one bar to another, to satisfy their thirst and escape the mediocrity of their everyday lives. The feeling was overwhelmingly new for him, yet he liked it, and ultimately embraced it to the point that he had forgotten his role as the head of the Igarashi-no-miya. But at that moment, nothing ever mattered to him but the exhilaration that he felt with every reckless act he committed that night.

It was during that night that he had the most insane idea that he had ever come up with in his life, something which his friends thought was genius at the time, and supported him all the way. To his disbelief, Tora could still remember every single thing that happened that night—a night which he had been desperately trying to forget—which ultimately resulted to him in bed with five women whom he had never met before. To make matters worse, news reached his grandfather about some pictures and videos of that night, and for the next three months, Tora was under the strict surveillance of the Imperial Family Secret Service, and was surrounded by bodyguards wherever he went. During that period, he had lost contact with his friends, and his grandfather never let him forget about it—how he thoughtlessly endangered the reputation of the Imperial Family during such a crucial moment, how he jeopardized the Crown Prince's chances of ascending the throne, how he could've been ousted from the Imperial Family for his unruly conduct if the public were to see those photos and videos.

Since then, Tora never trusted himself with ideas that were rooted from alcohol. However, he was about to make an exception tonight, and he couldn't care less about any of the consequences his grandfather had mentioned to him back then. Like what his grandfather had said, this was a delicate period for the Imperial Family. The entire world was watching them now as the country declared to restore the Imperial Family. A small blunder may entail dire consequences.

It wasn't the best idea that he had in mind, nor was it a morally sound choice, but if it could buy him time before the Secret Service would be able to recover his sister, then perhaps it could work, for the Emperor's recovery, for the reputation of the Imperial Family, and for the smooth transition of the government.

Who knew that his sister was carrying such a heavy crown?

One by one, his fingers tap against the glass screen of his wooden desk in cadence as his eyes remain fixed on the wooden doors of his study. With every tick from the clock, his patience was decreasing. He has no plans of welcoming his fiancé to the palace, nor does he wish to see her tonight and the nights to follow. The mere thought of being in the same room with her along with the Emperor's older twin sisters, Reiko and Keiko, was harrowing enough for him to leave the palace. But he had to stay behind first. He had to get a closer look. He had to see her for himself. He had to look at her face one more time.

It was almost too good to be true: a person resembling his younger sister to an extent was inside the palace, standing in front of him, as if she had been waiting for someone to call for her and imbue fortune unto him. He never truly believed in the deities, despite the claims that the Imperial Family directly descended from these entities, but Igarashi Tora took this as something of divine intervention. Perhaps the heavens have looked upon him favorably after noticing his struggles for the past week.

Finally, the doors have opened, and Tora changed his position by standing up straight as he clasped his hands tightly together behind his back. The tension that surfaced on his face was now supplanted with a more composed and dignified look, concealing any sign of his anxiety and intoxication.

Upon entering the room, her presence was the only thing that Tora attended to, ignoring the redhead who brought her to his study in the first place. Her eyes, nose, lips, even the facial structure was strikingly similar to Mariko's. For a moment, it felt as if it was too much for him to take in, but Tora stood his ground and kept his calm exterior intact. When the maid had excused herself, Tora proceeds to looking at her body—admittedly, this girl was more muscular than Mariko, and her chest was definitely less voluptuous than Mariko's, and maybe her feet are a size bigger, but with her height, her complexion, and that restrained glare in her eyes, even _he_ had to see her for himself and make sure that he wasn't hallucinating or having a psychotic breakdown.

"How do you do?" Tora offers his hand to the girl, who had only been keeping contact with him by eying his shoes. He points out, "You don't have to look away while interacting with me. Nowadays, it's only practiced when a person's talking to either the emperor or the Crown Prince, and I'm neither of the two."

Hearing his response, she slowly lifted her head to face him, ashamed to look at the Prince who had watched her tread across the pond as an attempt to salvage her notes. When she was able to look at him in the eye, Tora had to take a deep breath in as he hides his astonishment with an inviting smile.

"I am Prince Tora of Igarashi-no-miya. It is such a pleasure to meet you."

She glanced at the outstretched hand in front of her before redirecting her gaze to his face. Out of courtesy, she encloses her hand with his in a handshake, but before she could remove it, Tora places his other hand on hers as he carried it to his lips, planting a kiss at the back of her palm. The gesture was a surprise to Misaki, whose cheeks turned into a light shade of pink upon feeling the soft touch of his lips against her hand, though she takes it as part of his upbringing as a prince.

He brings her hand down, his gaze ever steady, as he glides his hands across hers before releasing his grasp onto it. Unaccustomed to the prince's manner of greeting her, Misaki fumbles in making an introduction, fazed with the prolonged skin contact shared between them.

"It's nice to meet you too, your majesty." Misaki keeps her hands close to each other as she bowed. "My name is Ayuzawa Misaki. I look forward to being under your care."

"Please, take a seat, Ayuzawa-san." Tora motions a hand to the chairs on his right. A wooden fireplace was situated against the wall, a few feet away from where the chairs were. A table stands in between, and on top of it was a pot for tea and two cups. As she headed towards one of the chairs, she admired the antiquated look of the room, and the thought has finally sunken in—she was inside the imperial palace. When she had taken a seat, Tora follows and sits on the empty chair on her right. He watched as the firewood burned in the orange flames. "Forgive me for calling you abruptly into my study, Ayuzawa-san."

Misaki shook her head. "Do not concern yourself with that, your majesty. You wouldn't have called me here if it wasn't of importance." And it was at this point that Misaki deliberated whether she should apologize for her behavior in the garden at that moment, or wait for him to bring it up, in case that he just so happened to be at the balcony by the time she had emerged from the water. Still wavering, she proceeds to ask him. "Why did your majesty summon me?"

"What brings you here to the Imperial Palace, Ayuzawa-san?" Tora asked her, his eyes fixed at the fireplace, his face stoic.

Misaki could barely conceal the dejection on her face. There was something about the tone of his voice—no, the way he didn't even bother to make eye contact with her, which hinted at her misconduct at the palace gardens. Her hold onto the armrests becomes tighter, as she tries to calm herself down and convince herself about the other possible interpretations regarding his question.

"I am applying for the position of a palace maid." Misaki answered, her voice lower than usual.

"A palace maid, I see." He hums in response, having made sense of the situation, while nodding his head. "I rarely use the fireplace here. Oftentimes, we use the one in the west wing, but I figured that you would be cold from plodding through the pond, so I had the maids bring up the firewood."

Appalled, Misaki turns her head away from the prince and the fireplace. However, she turns in her seat once again to lower her head before the prince in apology. "It wasn't my intention to loiter around the premises. Please forgive me. I didn't want to leave my notes in the pond."

Unlike Misaki, Tora kept the mood light by giving a heartfelt laugh upon hearing her reasons for going in the pond. Misaki, who found his amusement over the matter odd, discreetly raised an eyebrow at him, as she silently remarked on the growing awkwardness between her and the prince, who was only making her more embarrassed over the matter. She is completely aware of how crude her behavior was, considering that she did that in the Imperial Palace, of all places, but Tora wasn't helping her. Misaki even wondered if she would've been better off being ferociously sent away by an infuriated prince rather than sit in a room, listening to the prince laughing at her for her tactlessness.

Misaki had thought that by the time Tora had stopped laughing, he would've had ended the conversation then and there. After all, he seemed like he was in a good mood that reprimanding her was out of the picture, and perhaps the worst thing that she could ever receive was a warning from him, but that wasn't the case. He brings up the story once again, mentioning every detail, even to the point where Misaki had almost tripped over a boulder beneath, and starts laughing again.

And she had to watch him do it again.

"Hmm, but that pond was supposed to be left untouched." Tora pointed out, though this time, his tone had changed on a more serious note, and he draws a smirk across his lips. "A well known feng shui master informed us that the slightest change in their arrangements would distort the energy in the palace; that a single pebble may predict the difference between life and death." He tilts his head to the side, gaining a better view of the girl with the raven black hair seated next to him. "How are you going to take responsibility for your actions, Ayuzawa-san?"

She didn't want to believe Tora. For Misaki, the entire conversation was more of a joke, and it had baffled her beyond words. But the sternness in his eyes speaks otherwise; this time, he was being serious, and she honestly doesn't know the appropriate answer to his question. Instead, she bows her head again. "I'm truly sorry for that."

"If you _are_ sorry, then don't make up for it by paying for damages." Tora bluntly stated, a cryptic smile emerging across his face, while a rising sense of discomfort began to take over Misaki: her heartbeat had picked up its pace, her hands have been sweating profusely for a while now, and her jaw was clenched, perhaps her body's way of preparing herself for what Igarashi Tora was about to say. "I have another proposal for you, besides being a maid here. In fact, if you perform this job exceptionally well, I will pay you triple the amount of a maid's salary in the palace. Have I sparked your interest, Ayuzawa Misaki?"

Misaki did not attempt to hide her skepticism over Igarashi Tora's offer. The ambiguity behind his statement bothered her to an extent. While this evening that she spent with him was enough for her to pass on the offer, perhaps it was her prejudice over the prince that was holding her back from being open with the prospect of earning thrice of what she would've earned as a palace maid. After all, she has yet to know about the job she was applying for.

Eyes thinning, Misaki clasped the fabric of her blouse, mentally bracing herself for whatever job Igarashi Tora was offering her.

"Please, do enlighten me as to this job that you have in mind." Misaki raised the corners of her lips upward, forcing a smile at the prince, who looked at her smugly before informing her of what he had in store for her.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush over this, but if you want to ask questions, feel free to interrupt me as I speak." Tora rests his elbows on his thighs, his trunk leaning forward as he faced her. "I want you to take on the pretense of my sister, the crown princess."

* * *

 _Unbelievable!_

Misaki closed her eyes tightly before pulling her blanket over her face, as if the act would help shield her from the memory. She let out a groan which halfway became more of a shriek, and kicked the space at the other end of her bed.

 _I never get a decent part time job nowadays, for crying out loud!_

…

" _I'm sorry. I didn't understand what your majesty had said just now."_

" _I want you to take on the pretense of my sister, the crown princess. She has gone missing for the past week, and with the return of the Emperor to Japan, if he finds out that his adopted granddaughter has fled the country because of a fight with the Crown Prince, I don't think that it would bring favorable consequences. He is still recuperating from his heart attack, and the absence of my sister has proven itself to be detrimental to the Imperial Family, especially with Japan's transition into a constitutional monarchy. This is a favor that I ask of you, Ayuzawa-san. I am willing to compensate you tremendously for your efforts as well as the trouble that this would cause you."_

" _I do see your reasons for doing this, but why are you asking_ me _to do it?"_

" _Because there is nobody else out there who bears a striking resemblance with my sister as much as you do, Ayuzawa-san."_

...

The absurdity of it all irritated Misaki to the point that she was unable to sleep a blink that evening, that she decided to channel all her frustration into school work, preoccupying herself with the face and neck muscles of the human body and how the mental status examination was administered. The night was long for Misaki as she absorbs every bit of information, showing no signs of mental fatigue after having studied for 3 hours straight. Since it had helped take her mind off Igarashi Tora and his ridiculous job offer, Misaki didn't mind, for what mattered was that she was doing something productive out of her time rather than just lying in bed, replaying the events that occurred that night.

She didn't know at what point had she fallen asleep, but when Suzuna started to shake her older sister's shoulders to wake her up, it had already been 7 in the morning. Rising up from her desk, it took a while for Misaki to realize that Suzuna was wearing her school uniform and was about to leave for school. The sight of her sister made her jolt as she pushes her chair back, making her way to the bathroom at a godly speed. After spending a few minutes inside, Misaki stepped out, fully clothed in a white shirt with a watermelon at its front side, along with denim blue jeans.

Downstairs, she hears her mother humming tunes to herself as she prepared breakfast. To Misaki's surprise, her mother had cooked pancakes, eggs and bacon, a meal that she thought she would never be able to eat again at the comfort of her home. However, despite her joy over such a meal, Misaki was curious as to how Minako was able to acquire or save up money to afford such a meal.

"Mom, did Suzuna win a prize again?" Misaki asked her mother, who was carrying the plates to the table.

"Suzuna won a pack of bacon." Minako replied, having knelt down beside the table, placing a plate at her end of the table. "The ingredients needed to make pancakes, along with the eggs, were all purchased by me from a nearby market."

Misaki had almost dropped her jaw in disbelief. "But mom, we're straying off budget. What about our meals for the last three days of the month!? I still don't have a job, and we still have to pay our debt—,"

"Our debts have been paid already, Misaki." Minako informed her daughter delightedly as she stood up, the tray slightly shaking under her grasp. "Mrs. Matsuzaki and Mr. Mizushima had just called. They said that we don't have any other expenses to pay them. In fact, they seemed to be in a pretty good mood during our conversation. Something good must have happened to them as well."

"Wait a second, mother. How did this happen?" Misaki wrinkled her forehead in puzzlement as she tries to reason out the situation with Minako. "I don't recall ever giving them a deposit, and you said that you have yet to receive your salary by the end of the month, so how is this possible?"

For a moment, Misaki took her mother's silence for being in deep thought as regards to the person who donated money to pay off the remainder of their debts, which would've taken the Ayuzawa family around four more years to pay it with interest, but whoever this anonymous donor was, he certainly has a lot of time and money in his hands.

And that's when Igarashi Tora entered her mind once more.

"Well, whoever that person is…" Minako voiced out her thoughts, drawing Misaki's attention back to her. "…he must be a selfless and considerate man! He even paid them back with interest!"

 _Not exactly, mother._

"I'm leaving." Misaki announced as she carried her backpack on her way to the door, determined to investigate who this anonymous donor is, with Igarashi Tora being her primary suspect. The mere thought of it made her clench her fists until her knuckles have blanched. "That bastard. He made me the girl who took the money."

"You're not eating breakfast?" Minako cried out, having caught up with her daughter by the door. "Misaki, at least eat something. You just recovered from a fever!"

Misaki furiously ties her shoes in a hurry. "I'm sorry, mom. I'll just eat some bread along the way. I need to settle things with someone first. Just leave some for me later."

 _Igarashi Tora... just what exactly do you have in mind?_

And with that, Misaki finds herself returning to the tiger's den.

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

 **End Notes:** And so that concludes the fourth chapter. Since I am on break now, I will be able to update this story more frequently. Spreading the Holiday cheer as early as now, I guess. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews are highly appreciated, so do leave one if you were pleased with how this chapter turned out to be. To make up for my hiatus, I included a preview of the next chapter below, but if you're not interested in spoilers, you could always omit that. For replies to reviews, I've decided to just attach them here for reasons. They can be found at the very end of this chapter entry. Once again, thank you for the love you've given this story. Much appreciated.

* * *

 **Preview:**

 _"With all due respect, Prince Tora, I have no intention of ever accepting your job offer. I will pay you back monthly, once I have secured a job of my own."_

 _"Maki, call the house doctor. She's burning up with a fever."_

 _"Prince Tora, I have received a phone call from the Crown Prince. He is on his way to the Imperial Palace."_

 _"This is a dream, right? Usui, you're not actually right in front of me."_

* * *

 **Replies:**

Minniemiss123: No problem. I take into consideration the opinions of my readers. LOL in fact, I wanted to cut it short, but I felt as if the transition to the next chapter wouldn't have been smooth, so I decided to put it all in one chapter. I don't know when Takumi will be appearing here, but I hope ToraMisa would hold your interest until Takumi makes his appearance again. Thank you for reviewing! :)

mikanlove: Haha, points for effort, Mikan! Unfortunately, it's not leukemia. I'm glad to see that you're enjoying TPP so far. Haha, I could have done that, but then I wanted to build up enough ToraMisa scenes too. After all, I want readers to be torn between ToraMisa and TakuMisa. XD Don't worry, if you read the preview above, you'd find out that Misaki and Takumi will be meeting soon, under certain circumstances. Thank you for your review, dear. I'll PM you, love! :)

violet167: Hey, Violet! :) I think I replied to you via PM. I'll reply again there. Sorry for being so late. I was preoccupied with my studies. Thank you for your reviews! Your support is absolutely appreciated.

amyjane1200: Congratulations for guessing Minako's illness correctly! I hope you liked this chapter. Haha, well as cliche as it sounds, yes there will be a love triangle. True, it would be weird, considering that Misaki resembles his sister physically, but I wouldn't want to reveal further details regarding their relationship, apart from his attraction for Misaki is not skin deep. Thank you for your reviewing. :)

Shiria Sakka: Thank you, dear! I will. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Cheers,  
Lady Stradivari


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** The Little Prince is written and illustrated by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Author's Notes:** Where do I begin? First off, the male heirs of the Imperial Family are named in a way that the word "Hito" is attached at the end. From what I've researched, this is for the owner of the name to embody the value inscribed along with it. In an attempt to stay true to the Imperial Family values, Usui will have two names: his personal name, Takumi, and his given name, Asahito. The reason behind the Emperor retaining his personal name will be revealed in the succeeding chapters, along with his secret which he has been guarding for a while now. I don't know a thing about aikido too. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Glossary:**  
Asahito – Usui Takumi's given name in the Imperial Family.  
Artisan – Takumi's Secret Service code name.  
Tiger – Tora's Secret Service code name.

* * *

 **05  
** The Prince and His Flower

* * *

Upon hearing the sound of his alarm clock ringing, Usui rose from his bed, sitting down by the edge as he extended his hand to switch off the alarm. He spends the next three minutes in the same position, regaining consciousness of his surroundings, before stepping inside the bathroom to shower. After he had finished bathing, Usui enters his walk-in closet and dresses into a gray cashmere cardigan with a neckline that revealed his white dress shirt underneath, black pants that flatter his form, brown Oxfords, and a pair of glasses to complete the overall look.

Once he was satisfied with how he looked in the mirror, Usui exits his bedroom and heads to the kitchen, where he prepares his first meal of the day, which consisted of reheated leftovers from last night's dinner and a freshly brewed cup of coffee. He places his meal on the coffee table by the sofa, and consumes the food with slight discontentment.

While eating, his eyes come across a book, lying by the edge of the table, and sighs. Specks of dust have gathered atop the cover, where the words "The Little Prince" were embossed in white against the blue backdrop. He reaches for it, dusts the cover with the heel of his palm, and takes a good look at it, recalling how it had managed to find its way back to him, even when he had intentionally left it upon leaving the Imperial Palace.

…

 _When the clock struck midnight, Usui hears the door open while he was making himself a cup of tea. Believing it to be his manager, Goda, Usui didn't bother to check anymore, since Goda frequently does this to lure him into the other room to drink with his crew, celebrating another successful concert. Usui found it peculiar, however, that his footsteps were louder and somewhat aggressive, and when he heard a loud noise coming from the living room of his suite, he immediately moved to the scene, only to find his fiancée, teary-eyed, and a book, which she had slammed forcefully against the wooden coffee table._

" _What are you doing here?" Usui spat out, his tone unwelcoming. "It's past 12. Don't you think that it's a bit late for you to—,"_

" _Is this why you left the Imperial Palace?" she cuts in, her voice shaking as she pointed at the book on the table, which had bore marks from the blow she had delivered. "Is this the reason why you wouldn't marry me?"_

 _For a moment, Usui couldn't think of a proper response to her question. For the first time in his life, Usui watched while the usual headstrong princess of the Igarashi-no-miya was breaking down into tears, and he didn't know what to say or what to do to calm her down. When she couldn't bring out an answer from him, the Crown Princess forced a smile on her face. "So my thoughts were correct."_

" _Where did you find this, Mariko?" Usui asked, taken aback by her discovery of the book he had kept hidden in the depths of his bookshelves located inside his room._

 _Mariko takes a deep breath in, her nose becoming more congested, as her tears continuously streamed across her roseate cheeks. She sighed. "It wasn't easy, but once I was able to figure it out, it all made sense." She told him before pulling out a handkerchief from her handbag to wipe her tears. Usui could only stare at her, unable to do anything to make her feel better, knowing that_ he _was the one making her cry so much. "Since childhood, I have only had eyes for you. I looked up to you as the older brother that I wished my brother could have been for me, the husband that I dreamed of having, and the father that I never had. When you've chosen me as your bride, I thought that these feelings I had for you were now being acknowledged and reciprocated. But then, you leave without giving me any explanation as to why you did, and every day, I ask myself if I have wronged you in any way for you to give up the throne. And now, I find out that you merely chose me to try to fill in that gap inside your heart; that you only saw_ her _through_ me _."_

 _Usui remained silent, unable to bring himself to say something. The sight of Mariko crying, along with the feelings she had bared into every word she had uttered, was agonizing for him, yet he hides it so well that Mariko takes this as his indifference over the matter._

" _Mariko," he calls her name austerely, and she ignores everything else to listen to him. "_ _I am only telling you this because we grew up together, and we have been there for each other since childhood. I did not give up my title because I didn't want to marry you. I have my reasons for doing so, and I don't plan on telling you what they are or what they entail. But believe me when I say that I'm not the man for you. You deserve someone better."_

 _Once again, the two shared their silences with each other, all the while holding each other's gazes: Usui, who feigns his lack of affliction over the matter, and Mariko, who is distraught over the Crown Prince's response._

" _You're cruel, Asahito-kun." She forced the words out of her mouth, almost as if she were choking on them, in the hopes that she could incite pity as well as inflict pain to the man standing in front of her, even when she couldn't think of other heinous words to address him. "All those years, I have only had eyes for you. If you had any regard for me back then, the least that you could do for me is to tell me the truth."_

 _Usui bows his head in defeat. "Forgive me for my cowardice. When the time comes, you'll understand why I decided to keep this hidden. Crown Princess—no, Mariko, I'm sorry for the pain that I've caused you."_

 _Mariko huffed at his apology. "No_ , _you're not sorry. You don't understand the gravity of what you've done. No…" she told him, her stare matching the coldness of his. "I will make you understand it, Asahito-kun, until you feel the pain and humiliation that you made me feel right now."_

 _Without another word, Mariko turns on her heel and walks away, heading to the door. Usui continues to watch her until she had closed the door behind her. Once she had vacated the room, he stood there in his place while his entire body numbed as his thoughts replayed the entire conversation that took place. Terrible thoughts have begun to emerge in his head, and he contemplates on his incompetency as the Crown Prince and as a friend to the woman who had always stood by his side._

 _The book that she had left behind was the one thing that brought him back to reality._

 _Usui took his time when approaching it, and at a close proximity, he bends forward and grasps it with both hands, looked wistfully at the cover as he glides his fingers along the embossed letters before they come across the image of the little prince, standing alone on his own little planet, and he remarked inwardly at how he resembled the little prince, though he lacked that glint of childlike wonder in his eyes. Sighing, he opens the book by the end, where a set of numbers was written on the last page._

 **194 ; 6 ; 3**

 _When he had memorized the numbers at the back of his head, he then flips the pages until he lands at page 194. He places his index finger on the paper to aid him in searching for a particular verse amidst all the paragraphs. Finally, his eyes and his fingers were able to find it, and Usui smiled._

"Of course, I love you," the flower said to him. "If you were not aware of it, it was my fault."

 _..._

Usui chuckled sadly at the thought before gently placing the book on top of the table, inches away from where his plate was. He then pulls out his cellphone from his pocket, dials a number, and moves it near his ear. It didn't take more than three rings for the acting imperial house secretary to pick it up.

" _Artisan,"_ the person on the other line addressed him, _"How can I be of service to you?"_

"Please inform Tiger that I will be visiting his sister at around 4, Maki." Usui replied, glancing at his wristwatch. "I heard that she's been feeling under the weather lately."

" _Certainly, Artisan. Is there anything else that you may need?"_

"No, thank you."

Ending his phone call, Usui went on to put his plate and empty cup in the sink before approaching his desk to take his leather backpack and the keys to the apartment and the car, leaving the apartment in the state that it is in.

* * *

"That bastard!"

With a briefcase in hand, Tora rushes to the elevator with Maki trailing alongside. His hair remains in disarray, and the last three buttons of his black dress shirt have yet to be fastened.

"He said he was visiting Mariko at 4." Tora clarified the message relayed to him by Maki. "Did he mention to you if he had called Mariko before calling you?"

"No, sir."

"Screw this." Tora mutters, pressing the elevator button pointing downward upon arrival. He glances at the screens of all three elevator switches, trying to find the one closest to his floor. He clicks his tongue, "How am I supposed to fabricate another lie to cover this up? Why on earth would he change his mind and see Mariko? The last time they've ever talked to each other was three months ago! He doesn't care about her! _Shit…_ "

"Sir," Maki addressed his boss with his head hanging low. "Why not just tell the Crown Prince the truth?" he suggested albeit hesitatingly.

Tora looked at him unbelievingly, his head tilting to the side. "What?"

"Forgive me for speaking so boldly, sir, but do think about it." Maki tries to reason with him, his concern for his master gradually manifesting with every word he utters out of his mouth. "You are not held responsible for whatever the Crown Princess does. Things haven't been working out with her and the Crown Prince anyway. Why make an effort to hide what the Crown Princess had done? Why give the Emperor the impression that they're on good terms, when even his highness acknowledges the fact that they're far too different from one another? If it's to save face from the entire world, we can think of other ways to solve the problem. Your sister's actions do not represent what the Imperial Family is about, or their capacity to rule the country—,"

Maki stops himself from further voicing out his thoughts when Tora had punched the wall on his right, causing abrasions along the area of his knuckles. The fair haired man refused to look at his friend in the eye because he couldn't deny everything that he had said. How can he, when he was only telling the truth? Although the gesture had taken Maki aback, it wasn't Tora's intention to do so. His violent outburst had only been a result of his irresolution—after all, Maki was being logical; traveling down that path was undoubtedly much easier for him than hiring someone who looked like his sister and have her play the part, deceiving everyone around him—and the pain he had unleashed upon himself was a way to bring him back to his senses; to make him remember the night he and his younger sister had lost everything.

The pain that was running through his entire hand was nothing compared to the pain that he had felt in his chest on the night that his parents died. His parents had told him that they were returning in 3 days, but after the first night, the household was thrown into frenzy, and before he was able to understand what was happening around him, he and Mariko had ended up on the streets, enduring the unforgiving cold and the glacial winds of winter. The following day, they were discovered by a social worker, who relocates them to a local town orphanage, though not after a week's worth of stay in the hospital, as Mariko had developed pneumonia from sleeping in the cold. Tora could not comprehend the grief and anger that was rising in his chest while he stood by helplessly, watching Mariko struggling to live. It was then that he desperately searched for his parents, even to the point of leaving his sister in the hospital and reaching the next town, only to be recovered by the same social worker, who told him that his parents will never return, and that he had to be strong for his sister, as he was the only family member that she could rely on now.

When he and Mariko were staying in the orphanage, Tora had to watch over his sister, as she was not in her best condition. She had developed asthma, and had to take a handful of medication, besides spending time with the nebulizer, to ease the symptoms. Through it all, he watched her closely, taking the social worker's words to heart. _He was the only family member whom she could rely on now._ But how was that possible, he thought to himself. He was only 5, was terrible at Japanese letters, and was frequently crying for the past two weeks since they've been transferred to the orphanage. How was he supposed to take care of his little sister, when he couldn't find a warm place where she could sleep soundly that evening? If he had found one, then his 2 year old sister wouldn't have to fight for her life back then.

A week later, the Emperor personally appeared at the orphanage to retrieve his distant grandchildren.

"I owe my life to him," Tora revealed, his voice shaking towards the end of his sentence. "He could've left me and Mariko at the orphanage, and I would've continued living a life filled with hate and self-pity. I couldn't be strong for Mariko back then, no matter how hard I tried. I was in the same boat as she was. But then, the Emperor decided to come forward that day. He brought us back to his home. He cared for us when we weren't even his direct grandchildren. He gave us the strength to continue with our lives..." He then brought up his head, wanting Maki to see the look on his face at that moment, even if his eyes have been welling up with tears. "…and I will be forever grateful to him for rescuing us from destitution."

Seeing the sincerity embedded on Tora's face, Maki felt a tinge of guilt for making his friend feel this way. His throat becomes dry and his chest, heavy.

"It's not about me. It's not about Mariko. It's not about the Crown Prince, or Japan, or the world. It's about grandfather." Tora cried out as the elevator doors opened before them. "The reason why I'm carrying all this stress is so that he wouldn't have to. I almost lost my grandfather once because of the Crown Prince, and I'm not losing him again because Mariko decided to ignore her duties at this crucial moment to go on a vacation to some godforsaken country!"

Tora had to press the elevator button again to keep the doors from closing as he entered the car. Maki follows him inside, crestfallen.

"I don't know if this is the right time, but I feel that you should know about this." Maki cleared his throat, though Tora seems as if he wasn't willing to pay attention to whatever he was about to say at that moment, but he had hoped that it would give the prince something to hold on to. "During our talk just now, I was informed by the security guards at the Imperial Palace that Ayuzawa Misaki is demanding to speak with you."

Fortunately, for Maki, he noticed the way Tora had tugged his lips the moment he mentioned the girl's name.

"Have you gathered information about her?" Tora asked, to which Maki nodded in response. "Good. I will be reviewing the report inside the car."

* * *

In the 40 minutes that Misaki had been loitering outside the Eastern Gate of the Imperial Palace, her temperature had once again risen, her legs had fatigued, and her level of alertness had diminished. However, she was unaware of the changes that had been going on in her body, as she was preoccupied with the idea of physically harming Igarashi Tora in any way possible.

The moment his car arrives and he steps out of the vehicle to talk to her, she plans on slapping his face for a good while, punch him from the chest down to his pelvis, kick him in the nuts, and flip him against the concrete floor before throwing him across the street. Although she would end up in a nearby precinct for physically harassing the prince, she was willing to do it, considering that he had insulted her twice: first time, for hiring her to impersonate someone and; the second time, for paying all the remaining debts with interest.

But she wasn't going to do that, since the current head maid was pleased with her that the prospect of the job as a palace maid hindered Misaki from hurting her future client… or master—the thought of calling that scumbag prince "master" made her cringe in disgust—so she decided that she was going to give him a long, long lecture on manners, and of course, challenge him to an aikido duel. She reckoned that his muscles were a result of gym workouts and not from any sport pursuit.

As she remains ignorant of her current condition, Misaki recognizes the black sedan Tora was riding in from the car sticker and the flags of Japan waving, situated near the headlights. The guards begin to open the Eastern gates to allow passage for the vehicle, but the driveway had been blocked by Misaki, who conveniently places herself right between the gateway and the car.

Once the vehicle had stopped, Tora immediately gets out of the car, smirking upon seeing how serious Misaki looked with her arms wide open. She was a truly interesting creature to behold.

"Ayuzawa-san!" he flashes a smile at her, "I wasn't expecting you to respond to me so quickly—,"

"Let's drop the formalities and the façade, Prince Tora." Misaki stated bluntly, her eyes conveying her resolve to confront the man before him. "Who told you to pay the debts of my family? With interest, even?"

Tora chuckled at the thought. "Ah, that? Well, consider it as a gift. You resemble my sister so much that I see her in you, and to imagine her living in such conditions breaks my heart—,"

"That doesn't give you the right to intrude on such personal matters, Prince Tora." Misaki deadpanned despite the growing intolerance with Tora.

"Like I said, Ayuzawa-san, I see my sister in _you_." Tora closes the distance between them. With his face hovering hers, he holds her face by the cheek, steadying her head in his grasp as he puts his face closer to hers. He was able to sense how hot her cheeks felt in his hand, yet strangely, she was still able to stand up and shout at him. Nonetheless, he ignored the signs, and continued with his farce. "But then again, there were so many things about you that I didn't know, and now that I do, it was a shame for me to have only seen you as my sister. Pray, tell me, Ayuzawa Misaki. Is this your first time being a maid?"

Misaki's eyes widened, and Tora was able to notice the change in her expression, but she was able to conceal the surprise on her face so quickly that Tora would think twice about it. That was the final straw for Misaki—this man was capable of going through such measures, and she refuses to stand by and let it all happen.

"I don't know, you bastard." Misaki grasps the arm that he used to hold her face. "You tell me!"

She then performs a three step throw, a move in Aikido where her opponent ends up lying on the ground. Tora scrunches his eyebrows in anger at Misaki, who was standing over his body as she stared at him contentedly.

"Let me make this clear, Prince Tora." She smirked at him, mimicking the way he would usually do so, as she pointed a finger at him. "Just because you're royalty, that doesn't give you the right to treat people like trash. You insulted me and to an extent, my family as well. So _with all due respect,_ Prince Tora, I have no intention of ever accepting your job offer. I will pay back all the money that I owe you on a monthly basis, once I have secured a job of my own. So don't ever think that you—,"

At that moment, Misaki had felt her energy depleting all at once, and she falls on the ground, unconscious.

Maki briskly made his way to the pair. "Are you alright, Prince Tora?"

Worriedly, Tora was able to bring himself to sit up and checks for Misaki's pulse and breathing. He shakes his head and calls her an idiot in the process.

"Maki, call the house doctor. She's burning up with a fever. And while you're at it, call Mariko's beautician. We're expecting the Crown Prince at 4, and she needs to look her part."

* * *

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

 **End Notes:** Hooray for Christmas break for quicker updates! So… what do you think of this chapter? Reviews are highly appreciated, so do leave one, okay? Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. I am truly grateful to those who have reviewed, and those who added this story to their faves and follows. You guys inspire me! If you have any questions about this chapter, let me know, and I'll get back to you on that, whether it's via PM or the replies section below. Oh, btw, can anyone tell me what this verse means, perhaps?

"Of course, I love you," the flower said to him. "If you were not aware of it, it was my fault."

The first person who gets it right will have the next chapter dedicated to him/her.

* * *

 **Replies:**

violet167: Ah yes, I finally have the time to update. The pleasure's all mine. To hear that this story stays with you warms my heart. Thank you for understanding my reasons for the delayed updates. I always do my best to try to update, but sometimes what's hindering me from doing so is myself, since I'm very meticulous when it comes to writing. I want to make sure that I deliver the best chapter I could come up with that time. Thank you for reviewing!

Addy: Yes, Minako is manifesting signs of Parkinson's Disease. It's alright. I'm glad you love the story. This is actually inspired by Goong, since I was quite fond of the modern royalty theme, and that's when the idea for TPP came into mind. Thank you!

Minniemiss123: Aw, your consistent delivery of reviews makes me so happy! Thank you so much for your support. I hope that this chapter made you happy too (though with a bit of drama involved, I suppose). Thank you for noticing the effort that I spend in details. I want to give the reader an impression of how it must be like to be there, though I don't want to be florid with words, as I wish to give the readers the freedom to merge their ideas with what's in print. Haha, in my original outline of TPP, there was supposed to be such a scene for ToraMisa, but things didn't turn out that way, but I tried to make things comical between the two of them here. HAHA I see; well then, you're in for a good time in the future, since there'll be a huge love triangle among the 3. Will continue to deliver quicker updates! I look forward to your viewpoints on the chapters to come.

Vijju123: Thank you, innocent little boy, for your kind words. It's nice to be recognized for such things. And the analogy with Bill Gates, haha! Really though, you make me laugh. XD

Cheers,  
Lady Stradivari


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